Norman, OK (My Sportsbook) - The 17th-ranked Oklahoma Sooners close out a brief two-game homestand to begin the 2009-10 season, as they welcome the UL- Monroe Warhawks to Norman for a matchup at the Lloyd Noble Center this evening.
The Sooners lost the nation's top player from a year ago, as Blake Griffin was the top pick in the last NBA draft. How OU would fill the void was the top question heading into Jeff Capel's fourth season at the helm. Well, early indications are that Oklahoma will be just fine after opening the year with an easy 95-71 romp of Mount St. Mary's last weekend.
The Warhawks opened their 2009-10 season with a harsh 82-62 setback at LSU last Friday. Orlando Early's squad evened its record up two days later, posting an 82-66 victory over Alcorn State. An Oklahoma victory tonight would be the 1,500th in school history and Capel's 150th career win.
Oklahoma has won all three previous meetings in this series, with the last one coming back during the 1996-97 campaign (95-68).
The Warhawks have a solid nucleus, highlighted by seniors Tony Hooper and Malcolm Thomas. Hooper, who was granted a fifth year of eligibility after missing most of the 2008-09 season, has gotten off to a fast start, averaging 14.5 points in the first two games, including an 18-point effort in the win over Alcorn State. Hooper was aided in the win by juniors Tommie Sykes and Lawrence Gilbert, who chipped in with 16 and 14 points, respectively. Both Sykes (11.5 ppg) and Gilbert (11.0 ppg) join Hooper in double figure scoring after two games. The team did not excel in every area of the game in the victory, as ULM committed a whopping 22 turnovers. The Warhawks more than compensated for it though by forcing 26 Alcorn State miscues.
The Sooners made light work of NEC favorite Mount St. Mary's in a 24-point romp. Freshman Steven Pledger made a huge splash with a game-high 21 points in his debut in Norman. Fellow freshman Tiny Gallon (6-9, 290) had a remarkable debut as well, registering a double-double with 18 points and 15 rebounds. The rebounding effort was the best by a freshman in his first game in 37 years. Sophomore Willie Warren picked up right where he left off his freshman campaign, pouring in 15 points, while doling out 11 assists for his first career double-double. The youth movement continued with freshmen Andrew Fitzgerald and Tommy Mason-Griffin adding 14 and 11 points, respectively. With five players notching double digits in the win and a +21 advantage in rebounding, Oklahoma, which won 30 games a year ago, could be just as dangerous, with a bevy of offensive threats.
